Mayonaka no Hana
by ever changes
Summary: Life after the war seems pretty peaceful but some of the Great Nations think added measures need to be taken to ensure future alliances between past enemies. When Suna and Iwa finally agree on a way to do this, it forces a very unhappy civilian to realize maybe ninja aren't all that bad.
1. Prologue

**I'm BACK! Hello all, I'm really excited to be posting a new story. I've got a couple chapters pre-written so I shouldn't disappear too often right up-front. Unfortunately, I haven't actually finished Naruto yet (yes, I know, I'm slow) but I think, for now, there shouldn't be anything that makes this impossible in the Naruto universe. Anyhoo, I hope you enjoy.**

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 **Prologue**

"This is an insult to Suna, Gaara! How can you even consider such a thing?" Kankuro demanded. The Kazekage's face was emotionless, evaluating the situation silently in his head. Kankuro was not the only attendee enraged by the proposal presented by Iwa, the Village Hidden in the Stones. Even the most level-headed council members had been infuriated by the proposition: marry their Kazekage off to a common girl, someone who didn't possess the abilities to become a ninja. They wouldn't even hear of it.

"The marriage was not offered as an insult," he said calmly. "Many ninja were lost during the war and Iwa cannot spare any. She is of high blood. I should be honored." Many council members were shocked by his declaration.

"Still, Gaara, we have good relations with Iwa… We don't need this marriage," Kankuro argued slightly calmer. He didn't want to see his brother married off to a random stranger, especially someone unworthy of being his wife.

"We must do this to keep good relations with our Stone brethren," one of the eldest attendees stated. "Lord Kazekage is wise to agree."

"It's settled then," Gaara muttered. Kankuro clenched his fists and turned to leave. He had to tell Temari. Maybe she could talk some sense into their little brother.

►§◄

"Father's home!" Eri exclaimed merrily, standing just outside the house. Kaito, her twin brother rushed to her side, followed by their mother, Airi. All of them looked nearly identical. They all shared the same white hair and dark, sapphire eyes. Kaito was taller than the two women, more muscular, and had shorter hair, but that was the only difference until you hit their emotions. Eri always had a somewhat cruel smirk etched onto her lips and her eyes were gleaming with deceit, even when she appeared to be happy. Kaito always appeared to be bored, but flashes of concern could occasionally light his face. Airi, on the other hand, was an open book. Her features changed with every new emotion but she somehow managed to maintain the image of being frailer than her children.

Suddenly, the woman glanced back at the one person who hadn't moved. Anger flickered across the woman's face. "Get over here and greet your father!" she demanded hotly. The girl didn't move her eyes away from the cup of tea in her hand. She blew on the hot fluid lightly, not caring as her strange hair fell around her face. She had long, black and blue stripped hair. Her dark purple eyes lacked pupils and were distant, as though she were in a world far away from theirs.

"Hurry up, you worthless pest, before Father sees you," Eri demanded. "If you're going to eat his food, the least you could do his greet him after he returns from a long mission."

"Tea too hot will burn the lips," was the girl's mysterious response. Eri growled, stomped her feet in a small temper tantrum, and then turned back towards the road. The girl let a small smile touch her lips but quickly flicked it away again. It'd only get her in trouble.

Finally, after three minutes, a man came and embraced the three waiting for him at the door. He had dark blue hair and sapphire eyes. He was taller than Kaito and more muscular. He was wearing the regular apparel of a stone ninja and was obviously travel wary.

"It's so good to have you home, Father!" Eri stated, stepping away from him as his wife gave him a gentle kiss on the lips.

"You've been gone too long, Seiji," Airi proclaimed.

"Perhaps," he agreed. "Come, let's go inside." The group followed him into the room where the lone girl sat, blowing on her cup of tea. Kaito slid the rice paper door shut behind him.

"Father," the girl said, lifting the tea to the man. He accepted it, a smile gracing his features. She found this odd. Usually, her father had nothing but stern looks for her.

"You've been training," he noted, staring at the scrapes across her one exposed arm and along her cheeks.

"Yes, Father."

"She actually hit the mark three times today," Kaito added, stepping in. The girl stared up at her younger brother, furrowing thin eyebrows. She hadn't hit the mark at all that day but she didn't bother to correct him. Kaito was the only person who was ever kind to her. He probably lied to save her some pain.

"Excellent!" the man cried, reaching a hand down to his eldest child. She took it hesitantly, surprise flickering across her face before she contained it with a serene mask. She stood, her lavender gown flowing down to just above her knees. "I'm sure dinner has been prepared. Let us eat." Eri and Airi exchanged bewildered glances as they followed the man of the house to the dining room. Never had they seen him so happy to see his eldest daughter, the disgrace of the Kuomori clan.

They knelt around the table, Seiji at the head and his wife directly across from him. His two daughters sat to his right and his left while Kaito sat next to Eri. As they were eating, Seiji decided he could not contain his jubilee any longer. "Iwa has been wanting to strengthen its alliances lately, as I'm sure all of you are aware. One way to do this is to arrange marriages across the nations. I was informed on my way home that the Kazekage has agreed to marry a woman from our clan, Hana." Eri choked on her meal.

"The Kazekage wants to marry _her_?" the girl spat, staring at her older sister. Mayonaka no Hana put down her chopsticks calmly, staring into space. Kaito and Airi froze, not believing their ears.

"Compose yourself, Eri!" the man snapped. "This is wonderful news. Finally, after all these years, something will be made of Hana. Don't you agree, my child?" he asked, staring at his daughter.

"Yes, wonderful news indeed," Hana replied, pushing a loose strand of ebony back into place. "When will the marriage take place?"

"In a week's time. They've already dispatched a group of ninja to retrieve you. I hear that Lord Kazekage himself is coming."

"Oh my, an honor indeed," Airi muttered, still shocked. Kaito stared at his older sister. The others weren't aware of it but he knew that her worst nightmare was unfolding before her.

"No! This can't be happening. Why would a Kage agree to marry the likes of her? She's a useless pest that takes up space. She can't do anything right. She's not even a ninja!" Eri shouted in frustration. "It's an insult to his image!"

"That's enough, Eri!" Seiji roared, glaring at her. She set her jaw but sat back down and crossed her arms. "This is good for all of us. Do not allow meager emotions to cloud your thoughts."

"Yes, Father," the girl responded. Meanwhile, Hana could barely breathe. She was beginning to hyperventilate, panicking at the idea of spending her life with a stranger, a ninja stranger, the greatest ninja stranger in the entire Land of Wind. What would he expect of her? Would he throw her under the bus like everyone else once he realized she really couldn't be helped, that she really was useless? Would he long after her body, covet her in the wee hours of the night? She could already feel the ghosts of unfamiliar fingertips brushing along her skin.

"If I may be excused, Father, Airi," she said randomly, standing up before her panic could paralyze her. Seiji was taken aback.

"Do not flee, Daughter. Now is a time to celebrate."

"Father, I'm sure Hana is just tired and overwhelmed from her training and the news she just received. Please, allow her to rest," Kaito stepped in.

"Well, she did hit the target three times today. Yes, rest, Mayonaka no Hana. Your future husband will arrive any day now." She nodded and slipped off to her chambers. Once there, she immediately got into a set of night clothes and laid down on her bed. She curled up into a ball and tried to soothe herself to sleep.

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 **Thanks for reading and please review!**


	2. A Gentle Breeze

**Here is the second instalment. Thanks for reading and please review. As always, enjoy!**

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 **1\. A Gentle Breeze**

Hana closed her eyes and smelt the gentle breeze falling down the sides of the mountains. She was walking along one of the many paths that carved up and around the mountains that protected her home village from attack. She came here often to clear her mind and escape from the troublesome situation that was her home. She closed her eyes and let the memories flood through her.

 _"_ _You're pretty damn lucky he didn't find the very proposal to be an insult," her step-sister hissed sharply. Hana pulled her hair up into a bun and allowed Eri to rant. She had never gotten along with her step-sister, probably because she never accepted Airi as a mother. She wouldn't even call the woman her stepmother. That female had no claim to her as far as Hana was concerned._

 _"_ _A butterfly is silent to elude predators." Eri hissed at this reply. Hana was never straightforward with her. She did it on purpose to get a rise out of her younger sibling, just as Eri would attack to get a rise out of Hana._

 _"_ _You know what? I hope the Kazekage is a monster of a man and that he beats you every night. Maybe then you'll get what you deserve, you worthless piece of shit."_

 _"_ _He who climbs the tallest cherry tree has the longest fall."_

 _"_ _Maybe he shouldn't fall."_

 _"_ _All great things will crumble in time."_

 _"_ _Oh, go to hell, Mayonaka."_

 _"_ _The starter of the flame will eventually burn." With that, Eri lost her patience and struck out at her older sister. A small yet strong fist connected with pale, fragile skin. Hana flew backwards and landed on the ground. Even as she began to stand, a bruise was already forming where Eri had hit her. "You can quench the fire but the embers will burn on." The young shinobi growled in frustration and stormed out, leaving Hana to use makeup to cover the new bruise and then disappear. This was a normal occurrence in their household._

Suddenly, Hana was snapped out of her reverie as she heard the footsteps of someone's approach. She had heard them soon enough that she could've hidden had it been her wish, but she did not. After many years of forced training, she had given up on ever being a ninja and therefore would not hint that, in some ways, she might be semi-fit to become one. Knowing of an intruder's approach far before they were aware of her presence was definitely a hint she'd avoid giving.

"Oh, I didn't see you there," a man in a black outfit said, stopping as he rounded the corner of the path and nearly ran into her.

"My apologies," she said immediately, noticing the Suna headband sewn onto his hood. She had been forcefully taught that she was below shinobi, no matter what village they hailed from. _Does this mean my future husband has arrived?_ she thought, watching the man with downcast eyes. He couldn't have been more than a year older than her.

"Don't apologize. It was my fault. Anyway, what are you doing all the way out here by yourself? You're not a ninja, are you?"

"Oh, no. I have not the skills to be a ninja," she muttered, stepping back and turning her face down the mountainside to peer at Iwa below. She could see the small portion of the village that her clan upheld as its own. "I come here to clear my head."

"I see. Well, I'm a foreigner here. Would you mind walking me down the paths so I don't get lost?"

"Of course," she said back. They began to stroll side by side. Hana stuck her hands in the kimono she had been forced to wear. The Kazekage was supposed to show up sometime that day. Was it possible she was unknowingly talking to him? "May I ask your name?" she began softly.

"Kankuro," he replied. "Although you may know me better as the Kazekage's brother." _Oh, so it is not him_ , she reassured herself. "And you are?"

"Hana. I'm just a commoner. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lord Kankuro." He grinned sheepishly.

"Just call me Kankuro. So, Hana, if you're not a shinobi, what do you do?"

"I don't do much of anything, in truth. I have no real skills. I'm pretty much a burden to my family and those around me. The mountain paths are my release." The jonin was taken aback by her blunt honesty. "During the Fourth Shinobi War, I spent my time trapped in the temples, praying for the safe return of those fighting. That was all I could do."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. We're all different. I'm sure there's something you're good at." She noted the scrolls on his back.

"That's easy for you to say. You're the brother of the great Kazekage and probably a splendid ninja as well, while I'm nothing but a flower floating on the breeze," she replied, watching as a mountain blossom twirled its way down to the village below. Hana smiled abruptly. "But enough about me. I'm more than curious to know about yourself."

"Can I ask you one question first?" She nodded. "Do you know of a girl named Mayonaka of the Kuomori clan?" She nodded her head again, amazed that he didn't know her by her full name, Mayonaka no Hana. "What is she like?"

"It is said that Mayonaka is as unskilled as myself. She's said to be spiteful, hot tempered, smart-mouthed, and defiant. She does not bend easily to the will of others and, despite her faults, does not see why she is not treated with the same respect as those around her. She has no hobbies as far as anyone knows and she has bad relationships with her father, stepmother, and stepsister. I believe that her only friend is her stepbrother, Kaito Kuomori."

"Do you know what happened to her real mother?"

"She died on a mission when the girl was young." Kankuro nodded his head. So the rumors were true. It seemed as if Gaara was biting into more than he bargained for. The girl sounded like a hot mess. They strolled along in silence for a while before Kankuro asked if she could return him to the village. She did as she was bid, commenting that she should be heading home as well.

"It was pleasure meeting you, Hana. May our paths cross again."

"As to you, Kankuro," she replied. Then they headed off in different directions: he to his hotel, she to her home where she would prepare from the upcoming introductions with her fiancé.

►§◄

"I don't know; I've heard obnoxious rumors about this girl," Kankuro whispered as he, Gaara, and Temari stood together inside of the front room of the Kuomori's main family's house.

"If you believed all the rumors tossed about, then everybody would be a monster," Gaara replied monotonously.

"Just keep on your toes," Temari said sharply. "We don't know what we're getting into. She may be the head of the family's daughter but we have no reason to expect that she'll be pleasant and polite." Just then, the rice paper doors opened to reveal Seiji Kuomori, who they had already met, and a girl who looked almost nothing like him. Kankuro gasped in recognition of the young woman.

"May I introduce my eldest daughter, Mayonaka no Hana," Seiji began.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Hana," Temari began. "Please allow us to introduce ourselves. I am Temari, Lord Kazekage's elder sister and these are my brothers, Kankuro and Lord Gaara." Hana gave a small bow to the redhead, knowing her place well. Perhaps she wasn't well-liked in Iwa but there was no reason for her to be despised in Suna, or so she hoped.

"The pleasure is mine," Hana muttered. "May I invite you to dinner?"

"We would be honored," Gaara answered with the same level of formality. She led the three siblings to the dining room where her two stepsiblings and Airi awaited. Seiji introduced them and they all sat down. Hana sat beside her sister, to the left of her Father and Gaara sat across from her, Kankuro and then Temari next to him. Seiji was a good host and so the meal was tasty and the conversation light. Both Hana and Gaara were quiet, as was their custom. Finally, Kankuro decided to ask the question that had been bugging him.

"So, Hana, why is it that you did not properly introduce yourself when we met in the mountains?" Dark, violet eyes peered over at him but he couldn't find the emotion hidden within. She simply smiled faintly.

"As I told you, I walk along the paths to clear my mind. While I am there, I am a flower floating on the breeze, nothing more. Mayonaka no Hana does not traverse those trails. Only Hana does."

"But to speak of yourself with such distaste…"

"I told you what you asked for."

"You don't act like that though."

"In time, you'll see." He frowned but let it go. He had noticed how thick the atmosphere had become and the warning glare that was shot at his soon-to-be sister-in-law. If what she said about her relationships with her family had been true, then he didn't want to push her and get her in trouble. The last night with her family should be pleasant.

"Hana likes to speak in riddles," Eri stated with a slight hint of hatred in her tone. "She finds it amusing to watch others struggle to grasp her true meaning."

"Even the smartest of moths are attracted to the flame." Hana truly couldn't help herself. Frustrating Eri was too enjoyable, even if it did tend to leave her with a set of bruises.

"See what I mean?" Hana sipped at her tea to contain her laughter but Gaara noted the amusement in her eyes. He studied the way she held herself. She obviously meant to be respected but, at the same time, she was always on the defensive. It was as if she expected to be attacked at any moment. The way her eyes flickered from place to place showed him that she was attentive and hyperaware of her surroundings. She caught him staring and raised an eyebrow.

"Your hair is very strange," he commented instead of explaining his true actions.

"Hana was born that way, which is why we named her Mayonaka no Hana, after a flower we grow here in Iwa. It has black petals with a dark blue stripe running directly down the middle of each one. The center is violet, instead of yellow, and it only blooms at midnight during a full moon. The flower remains open for several days and on the third day, it is cut and given as a gift to confess one's love for another. It is very precious to us and the vine has medicinal purposes," Seiji explained. The Kazekage nodded.

"Why does she not carry the name, Kuomori?" Hana's father hesitated but she just smiled and put her cup down.

"I'm not suited to carry the name. Every member of the Kuomori clan, for as long as we have history of it, was a shinobi. Unless a miracle happens and I become one, I'll never carry the name. In fact, all Kuomori children are given names like Mayonaka no Hana until they become ninja. Then they drop the first part of their name and become "blank" Kuomori. For example, I'd become Hana Kuomori."

"A strange custom," Temari noted.

"It's to help preserve the honor of the clan." Before long, Airi switched the subject and dinner finished on a light note. Hana helped show their honored guests to their rooms, them already having checked out of the hotel, and then retired to her own. Soon after, Seiji walked in.

"You dishonorable, little brat," he spat, sliding the door shut silently so as not to disturb their guests. "You couldn't have led them along a polite conversation, could you?" She didn't get the chance to respond before he backhanded her. She didn't cry out or shed a tear, simply took it and waited. "We're already walking a thin line with marrying you off. We don't need you making yourself out to be worse." He hit her again. This kept up for about ten minutes before he finally felt satisfied and left. Hana simply let out a low breath. She had been dealing with that for the past thirteen years, ever since her mother died. It was nothing new.

Instead of dwelling on the past, Hana decided to look towards the future. She looked at the pack she was taking with her and recounted the scrolls she had sealed her belongings into. She didn't want to leave anything important behind. Once she was satisfied, she laid down and went to bed.

The next morning, she woke before everyone else. Or so she thought. As she leaped onto the roof of her home, she saw someone else had already beaten her to it. Seeing the head of red hair, she thought it might be best to speak with him. "May I join you?" Hana asked the Kazekage as she walked up from behind. He gave her a mere glance before nodding once. Hana sat on her knees and peered at the rising sun.

"You're up early," he noted smoothly.

"I'm excited for the trip. I've never been out of Iwa before," she answered honestly. Gaara glanced at her, secretly incredulous. Then he remembered that she wasn't a ninja and that most ninja families didn't travel. In truth, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that she had never seen outside of her village before.

"Suna is much different than here."

"I bet," she laughed. They sat in silence for some time before Kankuro and Temari woke. They both leaped down to the ground with fluid grace. The elder siblings were already wearing their packs and Hana quickly retrieved her own. Then they headed towards the exit of the Kuomori compound. Seiji was there, waiting to see them off.

"Be safe," he told the group.

"We will," Temari assured him.

When Hana hugged him to keep up their act, he whispered, "Behave. You're representing this family now."

She responded, "Of course, Father." The sentence was slightly hostile but he just smiled back, only a hint of quickly concealed anger in his eyes. With those last words, they departed.


	3. Shifting Sands

**Hello! Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy and perhaps honor me with a review. I'd also like to invite you to read my other Gaara fanfiction, which is complete, and more action oriented.**

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 **2\. Shifting Sands**

Hana silently observed the change in their surroundings, often times picking an unfamiliar leaf or flower. Whenever she did this, she quickly discarded the plant, not wanting to draw attention to herself. The others were a few feet ahead of her. She knew she wasn't slowing them down, since she never actually fell behind. She just held back, feeling isolated from the group. They were strangers. They were ninja. She wasn't accepted by them.

"We're almost there now," Temari informed the girl, glancing back at the slender figure cradling a camellia in her hands. "We'll be in the desert soon." They'd been traveling for a couple of days now. Hana was glad she'd get to see a real desert soon.

"Once we hit it, you'll have to stay closer to us," Kankuro stated. "It's easy to get lost in the desert." Hana nodded and glanced back down at the camellia. It was so beautiful, red and full. Suddenly, she threw it in the air and watched with childlike delight as the wind gently carried it to the ground on the side of the path. Then she glanced at the sight unfolding before her. The trees were clearing out into a barren landscape of sand and cracked earth. She took a series of quick steps to catch up with the group, not wanting to get lost.

The siblings paused, all happy to be going home. Hana stared across the landscape. _It's so empty_ , she thought with despair. _Maybe the village will have more colorful sights. It's hotter here too. But at least there's a breeze. A hot, dry breeze._ Hana frowned a little, not really liking it all. She wasn't sure what she had expected, she had learnt about deserts in school, but she hadn't expected this.

"What do you think, Mayonaka no Hana?" Kankuro asked as they began to walk through the shifting sand.

"I think everyone in the village must suffer from terrible sunburns." He glanced at her and then laughed.

"We have special clothing to protect us from that."

"Oh." She trekked on and when they finally reached Suna, she was relieved. No, she hadn't liked the desert at all.

After a small greeting from some of the villagers, they headed straight to the center of the village, where a round building was. It was obviously the Kazekage building. She wondered if she'd live there. She figured she would, the Tsuchikage lived in his building, but she couldn't be sure. It really didn't matter to her either way. So far, the village was bland. Nothing really peaked her interest.

As they strolled through the village, Hana could hear various whispers about her. It seemed that the rumors and hatred from her village had followed her to Suna. _How lovely,_ she thought solemnly.

Suddenly, they came up to another ninja. Half of his face was covered, and he didn't appear to have hair. "You must be Lady Mayonaka. It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Baki," he said, staring down at her.

"Hana," she corrected him softly. "The pleasure is mine, Lord Baki."

"Lady Hana," he responded calmly. She blushed a little, liking the respect but, at the same time, feeling like it was mockery. Gaara glanced at her, noticing the red tint to her cheeks, and then greeted Baki himself, introducing him to Hana as his sensei. Then they went inside.

"Come on, Hana. I'll show you where you can put your pack down," Temari offered, heading to the stairs. Hana followed without hesitation. They went to the third story where various rooms were. Temari opened one door and held it for Hana. "This is your room."

"It's already occupied," she noticed uncertainly.

"It's Gaara's room too." Hana couldn't stop a look of horror flashing across her face. Panic welled in her mind, thinking of all the things that might happen in the room. Would they share a bed too? Probably, since she only saw one bed. Again, those ghosts of fingers trailed down her spine, making her shiver. "You're going to be married soon. Married couples share a room. Besides, Gaara doesn't come in here often anyway. You'll barely notice you're sharing."

"Right. Of course." Hana stepped in hesitantly, glancing around the rectangular room. Temari almost felt bad for her, until she realized how much the girl was gaining with this marriage and how she most certainly didn't deserve it. The Sand Sibling shut the door as she left Hana to herself.

Mayonaka no Hana could hardly breathe as she stared around the room. No, there weren't very many personal belongings, but there were enough that she'd notice. And if she was going to share a bed with Lord Kazekage… Did she really want him to see her in any of her nightgowns?

"I can't think about that right now. I have to stay calm. I want to make a good impression on everybody. I don't want to be hated here," she reminded herself, getting to work putting her clothes in the drawers that had been emptied for her. Suddenly, she heard someone behind her. Hana whipped around, kunai in hand, to face the newcomer. Sand encased her wrists, stopping the attack.

"I thought you weren't a ninja," Gaara said unsurely.

"Lord Kazekage! My apologies. You startled me." She dropped the kunai knife and his sand receded. As Hana waited for some sort of reprimanding, she tried to figure out how he managed to sneak up on her. She hadn't heard a single footstep, or even the door. _He probably used some sort of transportation jutsu._

 _Her reaction time was instantaneous. If it wasn't for my sand, I doubt I would have dodged the attack,_ Gaara noticed silently. "Dinner is ready," he said instead. She nodded and followed him to the dining room. The other Sand Siblings, along with Baki, were already there. Gaara sat at the head of the table, and she sat to his left.

"Do you have any hobbies, Hana?" Kankuro asked, trying to start a pleasant conversation. He still didn't like her, but he admitted that he knew almost nothing about her. Besides, he had yet to see her ugly side.

"No."

"Then what do you do in your spare time?"

"I train."

"And when you're not training?"

"I'd walk along the mountain paths above the village and clear my head."

"Nothing else?"

"No." This was said with slight hostility. She didn't like people butting into her business. And there was her fear of being discovered. Hana's father had long ago beaten her hobbies out of her. Hana enjoyed making sculptures, and used to spend hours on her creations, but, when Seiji found out, he destroyed every sculpture he could get his hands on. He thought she should be devoting her time to becoming a ninja. Hana still sculpted, but she did it privately and without anyone knowing. Only Kaito knew of her secret.

"If you spend all your spare time training, how are you not a ninja?" Temari inquired.

"I don't have the skills for it."

"Then why train?"

"Because my very existence dishonors, not only my clan, but my village. And now that dishonor has been passed on to you."

 _There's the smart mouth_ , Kankuro deemed. "You say that like we've been fooled," he noticed. Dark purple eyes flashed over to him, sincerely surprised by the statement.

"That's not what I meant," she responded immediately. "This marriage was arranged with the sole intention of strengthening alliances between Suna and Iwa. The only reason why someone more worthy of the position wasn't offered is because Iwa can't spare any shinobi. We're shorthanded enough as is. But I'm not going to lie and say that I'm bringing any honor to the name of Lord Kazekage. I know what I am and I know what I'm not. The only honor that will be made out of this marriage will go to Lord Kazekage for putting the village before his own pride."

"Well, at least we're all on the same page," Kankuro muttered. _It looks like I'm not going to get any relief from the hostilities of the village in this home_ , Hana realized. _Not all that surprising though._

The girl turned back to her meal and studied it, feeling nauseous at the thought of eating. A strip of black silk fell out from behind her ear, soon followed by blue. _I have to eat or I'll be insulting their hospitality. And I need to watch my mouth or I'll cause unnecessary trouble between the villages._ She forced herself to swallow a piece of salted tongue.

"Lady Hana, please tell us more about yourself," Baki began, reattempting to start conversation with the girl.

"There's not much to tell," she admitted. "My mother died when I was young and my father remarried soon after. I've never had a likeable personality, and I don't tend to like anybody else. I've trained since the time I could walk but I've never succeeded in becoming a ninja. This upsets my father and his wife and so we've never gotten along. That's all."

"In other words, you shut yourself off from the rest of the world when you failed to meet your father's standards?" Temari rephrased it. _Not my father's standards, the clan's standards, the village's standards. Everywhere I go I am met by glares of despise and loathing. Nasty rumors follow me about, some with so much force that I have no choice but to make them true lest I go insane. Even here, in this very room, at this very table, I am not safe. I see it in your eyes. You all hate me as well,_ Hana retorted silently.

"I was born a string in a world of swords," she answered instead.

"Perhaps your failure is because you lack conviction," the kunoichi responded. Gaara observed all of this in silence. His fiancée was peculiar and he wished to know more about her. Her lack of response hinted at a key personality trait: she wouldn't be drawn into a conversation that would lead to an argument. She was level-headed and was obviously thinking about more than just herself. Mayonaka no Hana was brutally honest, but she had the ability to be diplomatic when she tried.

"You don't have a comeback?" Kankuro demanded. Again, silence. "Well, come on!"

"Kankuro," Gaara intervened calmly. "Let her be." Purple eyes glanced up in surprise, the inner turmoil slowly dissipating. No one had ever stood up for her before. Even Kaito, the closest person she had to a friend, was only kind in secret. Around others, he would regard her in cold, understandable silence. Sometimes he'd throw in a nice word or two about her training to ease tension in the room, but that was all.

"You shouldn't marry her, Gaara! Even if it is for the sake of the village. She sits there, moping like a spoiled brat without realizing how fortunate she is. No one deserves to be bound to such a woman!" Hana's hands curled into fists and the last of her self-control snapped.

"Fortunate! What part of my situation is fortunate! I…," she trailed off, trying to calm herself, to be level-headed again. When she spoke again, her voice was as cold as ice, "I don't know why I bother. A ninja like you will never understand." _So, she has a breaking point,_ Gaara noted. _And it appears that she loathes shinobi._ He could see it then. Her childhood wasn't much different from his, but, instead of being feared, she was hated for being a sore disappointment. She had been isolated by the village for it and, being her unique person, she handled it differently. She, like Gaara, had come to hate those who had caused her pain, but she had never been rescued. She still stood in that shadow, waiting for a ray of light.

"That was uncalled for, from both of you. You're siblings now. Act like it," Baki stepped in. Hana shook, hearing the same words echo in her head but in her father's voice.

 _"_ _You're not better than me! I'm going to be a ninja, too, one day!"_

 _"_ _You couldn't be a ninja even if someone made you into a puppet!" Eri shouted back._

 _"_ _That's enough, both of you! You're siblings now. Act like it!"_

 _"_ _But, Father…"_

 _"_ _I said that's enough, Hana! Go to your room!" Her lower lip quivered, moisture building in her eyes as she fled away from the new family, the family she didn't belong to._

"My apologies, Lord Baki," she responded coolly. Kankuro clenched his jaw but said nothing. As long as she knew her place…

After dinner, Hana headed back to her room to wash and get ready for the night. Gaara escorted her, making sure the newcomer didn't get lost. "Thank you, Lord Kazekage," she muttered as she entered the room. Gaara tilted his head in acknowledgement and followed behind her. She was calm about this, realizing it was his room as well.

"May I help you with anything?" he asked as she began to rummage through her drawers.

"That's the washroom, correct?" Hana reconfirmed, pointing to the second door in the room. He nodded. "Well, that's all. Thank you!" She tried her sweetest smile but it had no effect. The girl stood awkwardly, eyes downcast and arms wrapped around her nightgown. The redhead, unsure of what to do himself, stood just as awkwardly. He could command armies but this was beyond his area of expertise.

"Excuse me," Gaara finally muttered, leaving her to herself. He'd let Hana become familiarized first before he asked any requests of her. Since she obviously despised shinobi, it wouldn't be beneficial to assert his authority over her in any way. Besides, she was going to be his wife; he'd have to treat her like it.

A steady breath of air escaped pink lips as Hana was left to her own devices. Quickly, she took a shower and changed, wanting to be done before Lord Kazekage returned. She retired early, tired from the journey and not seeing any point to staying up.


	4. Air Currents

**Hello! Thank you for reading and please review. I hope you enjoy.**

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 **3\. Air Currents**

Hana's eyelids parted slowly, giving her eyes time to adjust to the bright light flooding the room. She yawned and rubbed the sleep away, sitting up. It felt early, earlier than she was accustomed to waking up at. "Forgive me, Hana. It wasn't my intentions to wake you," a calm voice breathed. Violet eyes popped open, surprised that another was in her room. Then, blood flushed her cheeks as she remembered that she was sharing a bedroom with the Kazekage.

"It's fine, Lord Kazekage. Don't worry about me." The red haired man was busy slipping on his Kage robes, and, by the looks of it, he had been up for a while. Hana glanced behind her to the other side of the bed. It was spotless. "Why didn't you come to bed last night?" the girl asked before she could filter it through her head. The way it came out sounded like an accusation, although she didn't mean it to.

"I don't sleep very often."

"Of – of course! I didn't… What I meant was…" She sighed and let it go, covering her face with her arm and plopping back onto the bed. Gaara's eyes sparked with amusement for a brief moment. He finished getting ready for the day and donned his hat. Just as he was about to leave, his fiancée called him back. "Um… What am I to do today?"

"You're free to do as you please. If you need help finding something, there are shinobi positioned all over the village that would be willing to assist you." _More like they're going to because you told them to_ , Hana thought bitterly.

"Oh, okay. I have another question." He waited. "When will we be…?"

"Tomorrow." It was a conscious effort to keep dread from crossing her face.

"There's not going to be a ceremony, is there?"

"No." She let out a low breath. _One less thing to worry about_ , she thought optimistically. There was a moment of silence. "Hana?"

"Yes, Lord Kazekage?"

"Please, call me Gaara."

"Um… Okay." The young man nodded to himself, finding what he had done proper for the given situation. If she was to be his wife, then they shouldn't be so formal around each other all the time. Formalities were fine, but doing so with Hana was only going to widen the gap already between them. Feeling satisfied, he headed out to start the new day. Hana pouted a little, confused aat what that had been about, and shoved her multi-colored hair to the side.

Knowing she wasn't going to fall back to sleep, she decided to get dressed as well, though in the bathroom just in case he decided to somehow reappear behind her. Hana put on her ninja attire that consisted of tight-fitting, black pants and a loose, midnight blue top. It lacked one sleeve, just as normal Iwa shirts did, but the other completely cloaked her hand. The girl was fairly sure that she'd need to get a different outfit to accommodate Suna's different climate, but it'd do for now.

Mayonaka no Hana braided her silky tresses before slipping on a pair of black sandals and padding into the hallway. Nobody appeared to be awake yet so she headed to the ground level in a relaxed manner. It's not like anybody could sneak up on her. Hana may have had no skills as an offensive ninja, but her sensory technique rivaled that of her Father, who was supposedly the best in their clan. Of course, no one knew of this hidden ability. She didn't flaunt it because, in truth, she didn't want to be a ninja. The idea of fighting and killing… It sickened her. Instead, she'd rather be a poor artist trying to sell her sculptures to passing citizens. That would have made her happier than being born in a ninja family.

The Kuomori clan had a very special kekkei genkai. They could use echolocation to sense things around them. Even if it was completely dark, Hana would be able to "see" where everything around her was. In fact, she was so skilled with the technique that she didn't even need to make noise anymore. The miniscule vibrations that everything produced were enough, although sound did help. Right now, if she focused, Hana would be able to hear the wing beats of the fly nearly two meters away. She'd be able to pinpoint its location and, if she had the aim, kill it with ease. But she didn't have that aim, and so she was a failure in the eyes of everyone around her.

Suddenly, the one person who did seem to get around her gift, appeared. "Yes, Lord Kaze… I mean, Lord Gaara?" she corrected herself hesitantly. Did he still want to be called "lord" or did he want her to drop that too?

"I thought you might need help finding the kitchen…" She had no idea how awkward it was for him to try to think of all these little things that she "might need". It wasn't in his nature to be outgoing and make offers like that. He was more of a recluse. Then again, she appeared to be of the same nature. They weren't accustomed to being well-liked by other people, though Gaara was starting to adapt to it.

Hana just nodded, unconsciously taking a more guarded stance as they walked side by side. The redhead showed her to the kitchen and then explained where everything was. "Do you want something?" she asked as she pulled out ingredients for rice porridge. Gaara hesitated, wondering what she meant. Her tone had been soft but it still could've been a more polite plea for him to leave.

"No," he finally responded, making a move to leave.

"Are you sure?" she double-checked. "It's no trouble." The girl had noticed his unwarranted kindness and felt as though she ought to do something in return. Again, he hesitated. He didn't want to upset her but he wasn't sure which reply was the right one.

"A small portion of whatever you're having would be nice," he finally muttered. Mayonaka no Hana raised a thin eyebrow.

"Well, I was just going to make a bowl of rice porridge. I could make you more." He shook his head.

"That's fine," the young Kazekage assured his fiancée. She shrugged, letting it be, and set to work. Gaara studied her swift movements and the expertise in which she cooked. The girl had so much experience that she didn't even need proper measurements. She knew by sight what was the right amount. About an hour or so later, she served him a steaming hot bowl. They sat down at the dining table in the next room and Gaara thanked her for the food. Hana just nodded in acknowledgement and ate with dainty bites.

"May I ask you something?" she began, curiosity getting the best of her. He agreed. "Why is it you're so kind to me?" This took Gaara aback.

"You're going to be my wife. I want to get along with you."

"But don't you resent me?"

"Why would I resent you, Hana?"

"Well… I mean, I'm stealing your opportunity to find someone you truly love and…"

"Do you resent me?" the Kage demanded suddenly, cutting her off. He silently hoped it wasn't so, although he understood why it might be the case.

"No. You're kind to me. It's almost as if you want me here. I know you don't but… At least you try to make me comfortable. It's like you understand that this isn't the ideal situation for either of us."

"Is it difficult for you to be this open?" A long sigh escaped pale lips.

"Very. I don't believe I've ever been so honest with somebody before." He could see the sincerity in her features. "Anyway, could you give me directions to the training field?" Hana asked, changing the subject. It was too early to be trusting him so.

"You're going to train today?"

"I train every day."

"Why?"

"So I can become stronger…?" She narrowed her eyes, confused. Crimson hair rustled as the young man shook his head. That hadn't been what he meant.

"What, emotionally, is your reason for training? Why do you do it even when you don't have to?"

"Emotionally?" She paused, pondering the question. _I don't know what else to do_ , she thought. _I want respect but I never seem to earn it, no matter what I do._ "I want to bring honor to my family," she answered calmly.

"You despise your family." Anyone could see that with ease if they just listened to how she spoke of them. There didn't appear to be a single happy thought she could associate with the people. No one would want to bring honor to something they hated.

"It's my duty as a member of the Kuomori clan to become a ninja." Gaara realized with mild disappointment that he wouldn't be getting an honest answer out of her. Perhaps, in time, she would come to trust him, but not yet. Instead, he decided to give her directions and then advised that she not train in the afternoon, when the sun was at its highest. The fair skinned girl would probably burn to death if she did. She thanked him politely and went on her way.

Hana found herself standing in the midst of academy children when she arrived at the training grounds Gaara had directed her to. She ended up doing more talking than training. Many of the children were curious about what Iwa was like and what the Kazekage was like in person. They asked about the mountains and snow and everything their little minds could think of. A smile played on the girl's lips as she answered each of them in turn. The instructors, though they secretly despised her as strongly as any other ninja in the village, did not mind her efforts to befriend the next generation. They understood her motivations and could see that she sincerely enjoyed speaking with the young boys and girls.

When the students finally got back on task, she joined them in training. "You really don't have any aim, do you?" one girl said not unkindly. "Momma tells me sometimes I gotta let my heart choose the kunai's path and not my mind. Maybe you should try it."

"And how does one go about letting the heart throw the kunai?" Hana asked calmly, eager for any sort of advice to be able to hit the target at least once.

"You close your eyes," the girl piped up excitedly. Her instructor shook his head and went to protest but Mayonaka no Hana put a hand up. She was willing to try.

As soon as her eyelids met, the world changed. Every sound, every vibration was visible in her mind's eye. She could not only see and hear where her target was, but she could feel it. Feel how it moved, how the air currents could be used to propel the kunai directly towards it. She took a deep breath, focused, and launched the knife. With satisfaction, she heard a _thunk_ as metal came in contact with wood. When she opened her eyes, she found that she had hit it.

"That's amazing!" the girl shouted. "It's never worked for me before." Hana smiled weakly and muttered something about a lucky shot. Then she thanked the girl again before taking off, afraid of her own ability. She had no idea how she had managed it, and she wasn't too eager to find out.

"Running away from something?" Kankuro demanded, suddenly appearing in front of her. Hana had been so consumed by her thoughts that she hadn't noticed his approach.

"Lord Gaara told me not to train when the sun is at its highest. I was going back to the Kazekage building," she blurted before she could regain her composure.

"Lord Gaara?" he questioned, not liking the step she had taken to being informal with his brother.

"He asked me to call him that," Mayonaka no Hana snapped defensively. Kankuro frowned but said nothing, beckoning her to follow him. Hesitantly, she obeyed. They strolled into the heart of Suna where all the shops were.

"Temari wanted me to fetch you so you could get proper desert attire. We can't have you burning to a crisp all the time." Hana silently agreed, thankful that they were willing to help her.

"That's a kind thought," she muttered. The puppet master simply shrugged and once they reached his sister, the girls were left alone. Since Hana was raised in a ninja household, buying clothes for her was simple and didn't take them long. Afterwards, they went home.


	5. Hot Winds

**Hello all. I would just like to inform you that I've recently started at a boarding school that has loaded me with more work than I anticipated. I will always make a large effort to update in a timely manner (and work on the story as a whole) but please be patient if I'm a little behind. Like I was this time. Thanks for understanding. Enjoy.**

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 **4\. Hot Winds**

Hana realized with mild distaste that dinner was going to be a daily occurrence. She sat on her knees in front of the table and thanked them for the food as it was laid in front of her. Her appetite, however, was nonexistent. She remained silent throughout the meal, only picking at her food.

"What about your siblings, Lady Hana? What are they like?" Baki asked, trying to draw her into the conversation. The girl gulped, taking a deep breath to clear her thoughts.

"Eri and I do not get along at all. Kaito is kind, though."

"Were you close," Temari prompted, being civil.

"The closest I've ever been to someone."

"Why's that?" Even Kankuro took an interest. He had also been scolded by Gaara earlier due to his harsh treatment of the foreigner.

"Kaito is the one who took to training with me when my father got fed up with my failures. I believe he pitied me."

"How close is close?" It was Gaara's turn to join the group. He had noticed the friendlier tone in which she spoke of her stepbrother. Although, if his theory was correct, they still hadn't been entirely open with one another. Hana mused over the question trying to find an honest yet vague answer. She had no desire to reveal her loneliness to this group. They'd probably just think she was begging for their pity, which she most certainly didn't want.

"Kaito knew of my dreams… and my nightmares. All of it was in private, however. In public, we barely regarded each other with more than a look."

"Why?" Temari demanded.

"Kaito had his reason and I had mine," was all she would allow to slip. This frustrated the others but they couldn't get Hana to talk anymore on the subject. Eventually, they released her. This time Gaara didn't follow her around, sure that she'd be able to find their room on her own. Once in the safety of solitude, the first thing she did was take a shower and get dressed for the night. She stepped out of the bathroom, ready to discard her clothes when she felt his chakra enter the room.

"Lord Kaze… err… Lord Gaara," she stuttered, holding her bundle of used materials over her chest where her nightgown dipped a little more than necessary. But his sight didn't even stray to her body.

"Are those bruises?" he interrogated her. A slender hand lifted to a purple cheek, reminding Hana of Eri's and her father's punches.

"It's nothing," she responded instantly. "I bruise easily." The young man didn't believe a word of it. He strode closer, taking the bundle of clothes from her and putting them in the dirty clothes pile. Then, he captured her wrists in one hand so he might inspect her face with the other. They were all over her, not just her face but her entire body. On her arms, her legs, he imagined even her ribs. They appeared to be a few days old, nothing that could've occurred while she was under his protection.

"Your family did this," he concluded with absolute conviction. The redhead's heart faltered, remembering the pain of when his father had attempted to have him assassinated. The memories were soon swiped from his mind, refocusing on the issue at hand. Mayonaka no Hana's lack of an argument reassured him of his verdict. "How long has this occurred?"

"Since my father remarried."

"No one ever came to your rescue?"

"I didn't have anyone who cared enough to." Sadly, all she could think about as he studied her was the things Eri had said. What was Gaara like? Did he want to covet her body? Was he going to hit her, knowing no one would bother to put a hand up to stop him? She just couldn't make sense of his kindness.

"Kaito…"

"Kaito would never speak against my father or his mother out rightly. He may have put in a kind word for me but that was all." Gaara frowned.

"There must be some way to treat them."

"They're just bruises," she assured him. "They'll heal." The young Kazekage said nothing, unsure of how to go about with this conversation. He knew in his heart that she needed help that only he was capable of giving her. He knew that he had to show her the light, but he didn't know how. She was stubborn and wary of others. It would be no easy task to make her accept him.

"Fine," he finally relented. "May I lay with you tonight, Hana?" he asked a few moments later, after releasing her from his hold. Gaara was attempting his very hardest to treat her properly, but it was difficult.

The ghosts of those fingers once again made their way down the girl's petite form. "It's your bed too," she responded despite her personal feelings. The redhead nodded and changed in the bathroom. Hana was already laying down by the time he returned, her bruises covered by makeup. Gaara was as quiet as possible as he placed himself next to her, resting on his back.

Hana was turned on her side, facing away from him. Her knees were brought inward, protecting herself from him. The white, lacey material only brought out how thin and pale she was. Her legs were long and lean yet muscular. Skin wrapped tightly around her bony wrist and slender fingers. She was one of the most beautiful women he had laid eyes upon.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he muttered softly, trying to reassure her. "There's no reason to be afraid of me." The girl rolled over, violet eyes boring into ice.

"I don't know what to think of you, Lord Gaara. You're so kind to me but I know, somewhere inside of you, you must be like the rest of them. You have to be."

"Like the rest of them?"

"You hate my existence. You hate the fact that I'm here." His brow furrowed, confused.

"Hana, I invited you into my home. I agreed to this marriage personally, against my brother and sister's advice. Why would I be angry with you for coming?"

"Surely you expected someone with more skill."

"No. I knew exactly who I was being sent." Hana gulped. Unsure how to react, she kept her mouth shut and began to play with her fingers. Then, almost as though he didn't know what a miserable thing he was asking of her, he said, "Don't cover your bruises tomorrow."

"Lord Kazekage…!"

"Gaara," he corrected her.

"You can't ask that of me, it only demonstrates how truly incompetent I am. No. I won't." She was expecting him to yell at her, to demand she do as he pleased. Instead, the redhead just nodded and let it be.

►§◄

Mayonaka no Hana awoke the next morning to Temari drawing the blinds and casting sunlight in her face. The girl didn't protest, just sighed and wiped at her eyes. "Yes, Lady Temari?" she said. The eldest Sand Sibling regarded her judgmentally but didn't bother to respond. In her eyes, Hana was only digging herself into a deeper hole with her ignorance. "Hello?" Hana called, sincerely confused.

"You're getting married today," the kunoichi finally relented. "You should be up and ready to go by now!"

"But Lord Gaara said there wasn't going to be a ceremony." Despite her knowledge, she immediately got up to get dressed. Afterwards, she braided her hair with expert fingers as she put on a pair of sandals. All the while, Temari never let her out of her sight. By the end, Hana was in a black kimono with blue and purple designs dancing around the edges. She had a violet obi, the same color of her eyes, tied around her waist.

"You put yourself together quickly," Temari admired reluctantly. "You're right, there's not going to be a ceremony but you still have to sign the marital agreement."

"Oh. Of course," Hana muttered, feeling like an idiot.

"Were you really not prepared for any of this?" It was said so kindly that it took Hana aback. "I mean, getting married, sharing your life with someone else."

"No. I wasn't. I always knew that the only way I'd get married was if my father arranged a marriage for me. Personally, I fancied the thought of dying alone, not having to stare a second family in the face knowing I'm just a disappointment to them; a burden they have to bear for the sake of money or, in this case, peace. Perhaps his reasons were noble, and I'm not upset with Lord Gaara because of it, but I hate this. I hate all of this. I never wanted marriage."

"You realize you would have had to live with your father for the rest of your life."

"I'm not an idiot. I had a plan. When I turned eighteen, I was going to leave. Escape the village and make a home elsewhere. I didn't care if I was poor for the rest of my life, or if people thought I was some trashy beggar on the side of the road. I would've been free. No one would hate me for the things I couldn't do. There'd be no expectations. My life would be defined by me, what I'm capable of; not what I couldn't achieve. That's all I've ever wanted. And, to think, all that taken away just three months before I would've been free." Temari didn't know what to say, shocked by her honesty. She began to see it, the girl who was trapped in a situation she couldn't handle. Someone without the means to appease her peers. "Now I can't."

"You should face you fate, not run away from it."

"I don't know why I bother to tell people these things. How could you ever understand? You weren't born a disappointment, a disgrace. Perhaps you had to be a ninja, but you could be whatever type of ninja suited you. You didn't have to be a Kuomori; you didn't have to fight with their techniques, within their set of beliefs. You had options, but I don't. I either did it or I failed and, quite obviously, I've failed. There was never a choice, so I made one."

"Why not teach yourself a different technique? Something you could do that would earn you the title of ninja?"

"That's not the way of the Kuomori clan." The kunoichi sighed but let it go, leading the already late fiancée to her soon-to-be husband's office.

Gaara's eyes fell upon Hana's slight form as she entered his office, followed closely by Temari. Kankuro stood by his side, along with Baki. He had already signed where he needed to. A brush and a bottle of ink lay in wait for Hana's use.

"Forgive me for being late," Mayonaka no Hana muttered, immediately taking up the brush and scrawling her name. No one commented, watching her with hawk eyes. Baki began to explain what would be expected of her politically, which was mostly just keeping out of the way since she wasn't a ninja. Temari explained what was expected of her as the woman of the house, which wasn't much since she wasn't skilled as a ninja. And Kankuro explained what would be expected of her as a member of the family, which amounted to keeping a low profile since she had never become a ninja.

 _And so my life as an eternal disappointment begins_ , Hana thought sourly. She didn't let her emotions show on her face, remaining impassive. "I pledge to do my best." They didn't release her until after dinner that night. Hana was in no mood to sleep, something nagging at the back of her mind. Trying to be sneaky, she slipped out of the Kazegake's headquarters and to the training field. It was surprisingly chilly compared to the day time. For once, she wished for a hot breeze to sweep the landscape. Pushing that aside, she took her place in front of the target. She threw a variety of shots from all different positions, but nothing worked.

"This is crazy," she muttered to herself, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Once again, her mind's eye drew up an image of everything around her using her skills with echolocation. It wasn't exactly the same, since even the air made shapes. Mayonaka no Hana had to focus to clear her mind, to rely on this internal picture instead of her eyes. As soon as the girl was sure she was just as relaxed as when the little girl was with her, she threw her kunai knives. She even jumped around, as though she were dodging someone else's attacks. She heard the impact of metal and wood and opened her eyes.

"That's not… that's not possible." Each weapon had made its mark, something she hadn't achieved with years of training with her eyes open.

"You're amazing!" Hana spun around as the little girl ambled forward. "I told Momma about it, but she didn't believe me. Said it was a lucky shot if anything. She doesn't seem to like you."

"I'm used to people not liking me," Hana answered honestly.

"I like you. I think you're nice. Do you like me?"

"Yes, I like you a lot. What's your name?"

"Nao."

"Well, Nao, can you do me a favor?" The girl nodded excitedly, short, brown hair bouncing around. "Don't tell anybody else. I want to find out how I'm doing it first. Okay?"

"Okay. You're at least going to tell the Kazekage, aren't you?"

"Of course," Hana lied without thinking. "Goodnight, Nao."

"Goodnight, Lady Mayonaka no Hana."

"Please, Nao, just Hana." The girl grinned.

"Night, Hana."


	6. Drifting Clouds

**So a lot of you who have been reviewing said you're looking forward to Hana's character development. Well, we're going to be getting a bit this installment. Thanks for reading and please review. :)**

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 **5\. Drifting Clouds**

Hana noticed as Gaara came to lie beside her in the middle of the night. He covered his face with one arm, looking far more than exhausted. The pain etched on his handsome face called to her half-conscious mind. Without thought, she pulled his arm down and stroked his hair back. Ice blue eyes fell upon her smooth features.

"Are you alright?" she asked calmly.

"I need to sleep but I don't want to." Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion.

"Didn't you sleep last night?" He shook his head. "Why don't you want to sleep?"

"Nightmares." The purple-eyed girl remembered that her new husband was an ex-jinchuriki but she wasn't entirely sure if that was the whole problem. She had heard tales, of course, about what the Shukaku had done to young Gaara's mind but she didn't know if she could help. Without asking, without remotely thinking about her actions, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close to her chest, cradling his head close to her heart. One hand continued to stroke his hair while the other remained still, securing him to her. Then, she began to sing.

Gaara was perplexed by her display of affection. This level of intimacy was foreign to him. The closest he had achieved to it was with one of his final discussions with his uncle, Yashamaru. But her lullaby soon pushed away the memories that continued to torment him so. Instead, his mind began to clear, his heart resting into a soft, lazy rhythm. He fell asleep within minutes; her soon after.

The young Kage was still fast asleep when Hana left her dreams. He lay still in her arms, as though unaware of her presence. Hana couldn't help but to smile at Gaara. He appeared so innocent in his sleep. Somehow, the girl managed to remove herself from the bed without waking him. It was still early, and she was sure he wasn't late for anything. She got dressed swiftly and then left, pausing at the door to stare at his peaceful face before walking out. In her head, Mayonaka no Hana imagined he hadn't gotten a proper night's rest in a long time.

"Is Gaara in there?" Temari hadn't surprised Hana; her approach had been loud to the girl's superior hearing.

"He's asleep," she answered, shutting the door as silently as possible.

"Really?" the kunoichi sounded incredulous. Hana nodded. "How did you get him to sleep?" The girl struggled to form a response, shocked that Temari would immediately assume she had something to do with it. "Come on, now. I know he didn't fall asleep on his own. We normally have to force him to sleep. Even then, it takes utter exhaustion to get him to rest peacefully. Normally, he's fitful." The girl just shrugged. Temari regarded her suspiciously but let it be. Whatever she had done to help Gaara, the kunoichi was sure would be shared with her by her brother himself.

►§◄

"She sang to you?" demanded Kankuro. Gaara nodded, trying to puzzle it out himself. Hana had showed the typical signs of someone who did not trust others, who would not share her true self without a ton of persuasion. Yet, she had been unusually kind, leaving her vulnerable to him should he have cause to lash out.

"I wonder why she wouldn't tell me this morning," Temari thought out loud.

"I wonder why she did it at all. I mean, she doesn't seem the type to…" They all knew what Kankuro meant.

"She didn't even want to share a room with you and now she's singing you to sleep. It just doesn't make sense." The eldest sibling puzzled over it. "Do you remember the words?"

"Not exactly. It was about people leaving and then coming home."

"It was probably an Iwa lullaby," Kankuro suggested. The siblings agreed unanimously. Then, a small knock on the door stopped them. "Come in," he said without glancing at his brother. They were in the Kazekage's office but Kankuro still liked to have a sense of authority. A young sentinel stepped in.

"Lord Kazekage, it's your …um… wife. We just watched her leave the village, sir." The Sand Siblings shot each other concerned looks and then headed out at once.

►§◄

Hana stayed close to the walls, sincerely afraid of the desert and getting lost in the maze of sand. As she walked, she searched frantically for any sign of life. She stopped, smiling as she bent over to examine a cactus. Lord Gaara had several small ones planted in pots on his dresser, but not like this one. It had a flower, bright pink, hanging off its side. She memorized it as best she could before moving on.

The girl knew she probably should have asked permission before leaving the village, but after her training session this morning, she was confident in her ability to defend herself against any attacks. And, besides, it wasn't like she was going anywhere, just exploring her new environment.

As she moved, Mayonaka no Hana found another creature; a black beetle no bigger than the fingernail on her pinky. She picked it up and let it crawl along her hand. She didn't know it yet, but Gaara and his siblings were watching her from the wall.

"I, honestly, don't understand her. It's almost as if…"

"She's trapped in a situation she can't handle," Temari finished for Kankuro. "I think there's more to Mayonaka no Hana than she lets on." Gaara smiled briefly, having seen it from the start. They watched as she let the bug go again and continued her exploration. The animals seemed to have no fear of her, which was unusual seeing as they rarely interacted with humans.

Gaara dropped to the ground behind her, followed by Temari and Kankuro. Hana whirled around, kunai in hand. This time, he caught her wrist instead of letting the sand do it for him. "Lord Kazekage, my apologies, I…"

"Gaara," he corrected her again. The girl's cheeks filled with blood as he released her wrist and she put the kunai away. "You shouldn't be out here alone. Come with me." She followed obediently, not saying a word in protest. They walked back to the Kazekage tower casually, Temari and Kankuro talking all the while. However, the Kazekage and his wife were completely silent.

Finally, they made it home and Gaara led his wife to their room, wanting to know more about the event that had occurred the night before. Hana hesitantly sat down on their bed, waiting for her arranged-husband to explain what this was all about.

"Why did you sing to me last night?" Gaara began softly.

"I… um," the girl stammered.

"Thus far, you've been withdrawn to the point of near rudeness. Why…?"

"Lord Gaara, I never meant to offend you or anyone in your village," Hana cut him off. "Last night, you confided in me that you couldn't sleep, as your wife, it is my responsibility to make sure you are cared for. Therefore, I did what I could to assist you into falling asleep." Pale ice bored into her, not believing it for a second. The response was too formal, too politically correct. She didn't just sing; she held him, curled up around him.

"Gaara," he corrected her again, desperate to get around these formalities. He wanted to understand her but the girl was making it as difficult as possible.

"Gaara," she breathed. In all honesty, Hana didn't want to lie to him, but she still didn't trust him. Yes, he was kind, but he was still a ninja. Somewhere within him, he looked down upon her like everyone else. She knew it. Sadly, this time, the Kazekage wasn't so easily dissuaded.

"Hana, I want the truth." The girl huffed, flipping her braid over her shoulder.

"That's the truth." His eyes were relentless, wringing her feelings out of her. "I just wanted to help, okay?" She said this hotly, exasperated.

"Hana, I don't mean to upset you. I'm new to these emotions. I'm simply looking for an explanation."

"And I gave you one." As Gaara watched the girl, he began to realize why she didn't have friends. It wasn't just because people looked down on her; it was because she didn't trust people. She seemed to despise them nearly as much as she thought they despised her. Gaara realized with a minute sigh that this was the wrong way to help her realize he was a friend.

"You must learn to trust me, Mayonaka no Hana. Not everyone is as cruel as your father." The look she gave him was one of utter contempt.

"My father? You think those marks were just from my father? My sister, my aunt, anyone in my clan who could get a hold of me. And what do you know of cruelty? You _earned_ your reputation. People were afraid of you because you killed anyone who strayed too near. What have I done? Everyone hates me, stares at me with disappointment because of what? All the people in my village, even those in yours, why? Why does it matter what I do with my life?" The redhead's eyes narrowed. Hana put a hand to her temple and let out a low breath. "I'm sorry, Lord Kazekage. That was uncalled for."

The two observed each other for several moments. Gaara was far more patient than his wife and was willing to listen to her rant in an effort to befriend her. The silence slowly became awkward, neither knowing how to break it.

"May I be excused," Hana finally asked. The boy tilted his head to the side, trying to judge what the best action was. Eventually, he nodded and she walked out. The girl did her best to avoid her new family for the rest of the night, even skipping dinner to stay away.


	7. Silent Storm

**6\. Silent Storm**

Mayonaka no Hana shut and locked her bedroom door, hoping no one was keeping tabs on her. The Kazekage was away, making some sort of political trip to further his efforts to keep the hidden villages united. That meant no one in the village could sneak up on her anymore.

The black and blue haired girl took out three scrolls she had yet to take her items out of. The first one was labeled with nothing more than the kanji for "Lessons", a decoy to keep people from investigating it further. She rolled it out across the floor and unsealed its contents. Paints and paintbrushes, as fresh as when she sealed them nearly a month ago, sprang forth. The colors varied from a light peach to a nearly black green. Every color she had ever seen in nature was present for her use.

The next scroll was labeled "Kunai". From it, she pulled large balls of clay, all of them still moist, and various sculpting tools. Hana picked a small ball of gray clay and sealed the rest back into the scroll. The last scroll, with "Shuriken" written on it, Hana didn't touch. She had no use of it yet. These scrolls were the only things Hana dared to keep of her once beloved hobby. Only a few times a year was she able to get them out, to use them.

Closing her eyes and feeling the clay as her mother once taught her, Hana begin to shape the bundle of earth. Time lapsed as she sat there, thinking nothing of what was outside. By the time she finally took a break, the clear shape of a beetle had finally taken form. The girl went to the bathroom and washed off her hands, preparing for the second part of her free day.

The beetle had to be fired before Hana could paint it. This is why she had taken the third scroll out. From it, she produced her mother's old oven. She took it to the window and placed the beetle inside. A series of glass lenses would bend the sun's rays into a sharp beam that would then heat the inside of the box, baking the beetle sculpture. It would take a few hours so Hana went to work finishing another project.

The "Shuriken" scroll not only contained her oven, it also held all of her previous sculptures, a set not nearly as large as she wished. Only one of her previous sculptures was unpainted; a giant mushroom shaped after one commonly found in Iwa's mountains. She took a bottle of black paint and a thick paint brush to coat the head of the mushroom, skirting around the many polka-dots that covered the fungus.

It took three coats to get the clay to a color Hana preferred. Then, she took a detail brush to outline where the blue polka-dots will be. That's when a knock came across the door. In a hurry, Hana hid away most of her utensils, sealing all the nonessentials. When most of it was hidden, she finally opened the wooden barrier. Temari stood outside.

"Yes?" the girl asked, sweeping her loose hair behind her ear.

"Are you going to join us for dinner?" Only she, Temari, and Baki were home. Kankuro had gone with Gaara to the Village Hidden in the Clouds.

"If you want me to." Despite the four weeks, Hana still hadn't connected very well with her housemates. Temari wasn't as bitter as Kankuro, but she was still unfriendly to the Iwa civilian. "Let me wash up first." Temari tried to follow the girl into her room but Hana stopped her. "I'll just be a moment." The blond kunoichi frowned but relented. Hana reappeared a few seconds later, ready to go. The two young women walked downstairs together. Baki was waiting for them at the dining table.

"Good evening, Lady Hana."

"Hello, Lord Baki. How has your day been?" The girl was in an unusually good mood, something Temari silently wished could have been shared with her brothers.

"Uneventful, and yours?"

"Peaceful. I haven't been doing much either. And you, Temari?"

"I've been down at the Academy, helping train the next generation of genin. There's a student who spoke of you. Nao?"

"Her and I train together sometimes. How is she?"

"She's doing well." The rest of the dinner conversation was made up of small talk. When they finished and Hana headed back upstairs, Temari ran after her.

"I want to talk," the kunoichi demanded, taking them to Hana's room.

"What about?" The girl was determined not to have her mood ruined by a conversation with her sister-in-law.

"You and Gaara." Dark eyes swept across the elder girl's face as if daring her to judge their fragile relationship. Hana liked Gaara, even she had to admit that, but she wouldn't be bullied into showing romantic feelings when she didn't feel them, nor would she keep her distance if that's what Temari asked. "He wants to befriend you, Hana. Won't you let him try?"

"Well… I…," she stumbled over her words, flabbergasted. "It's just… I don't…"

"I know you don't trust people, and I know you hate shinobi, but he deserves to be with someone who cares about him. Someone he can confide in. Will you be that person, Hana?"

"Um…" It was such a huge commitment, to promise that to Temari. The blonde would fight vehemently to get what she wanted, no matter Hana's response.

"Think about it, would you?" The girl nodded, retreating to her room. In an attempt to calm herself, she went back to painting, leaving the beetle to bake in the few rays of sunlight that remained. Despite her attempts, she couldn't get her mind off of what the kunoichi had said. She liked Gaara. But to trust him? To let herself care about him?

Mayonaka no Hana dropped her brush, covering her eyes with her hands and curling into a ball. How could she ever care about someone again? After what happened last time… She was terrified by the thought of revisiting the agony that haunted her childhood.

 _Someone he can confide in._ _But doesn't that mean I have to confide in him?_ She shuddered at the thought. People, _ninja_ were not to be trusted. They were evil, cruel. Always so cruel. Hana stopped herself. She was sick of wallowing in self-pity when she knew that good people existed. People like Nao, like her mother and Kaito. If she gave it a shot, she was sure Gaara could be like that too.

Feeling a little more secure, Hana cleaned her mess and packed away her art, then readied for bed. She would tell Temari tomorrow that she could do it. She was determined to.

►§◄

Gaara slipped into his bedroom as silently as possible, watching the way his wife, tossed and turned in her sleep, just as fitful as him. Nothing moved him more than the yellow mark left on her cheek. It was her last bruise, the most stubborn one, and he could only see it because he knew it was there. In the daylight, to anyone else, it would be indistinguishable from the rest of her skin.

The redhead had gotten home early, his meeting with the Raikage short and sweet. He had hoped to arrive during the day so he might greet Hana, but they had been delayed by a sandstorm. Kankuro and their other companion wouldn't have been able to walk through it.

Putting down his gourd, Gaara strolled towards the bathroom when a strange box caught his eye. It was sitting amongst his cacti in the window. As he picked it up, he found its contents to be warm, almost hot to the touch. He pulled out the small figurine anyway and held it in the moonlight so he might see what it was. If he snapped the light on, it'd probably wake the girl curled on his bed. A beetle sat in his hand, surprisingly detailed despite the fact that it lacked paint. Ridges ran along its body just as they would in nature. Gaara glanced at his wife, curious if she had made this little work of art.

Hesitantly, he put everything back the way he found it and then went to the washroom to change and clean-up before joining her in bed. Over the past month, he had noticed that she enjoyed singing to him so long as he didn't question her motives. All he had to do was nudge her hand to wake her enough to recognize his presence, and then she would put him to sleep. He felt as if he had had more sleep in the past month than the rest of his life combined.

"You're home early," Hana breathed, making room for him as he slipped beneath the covers. "Did everything go well with Lord Raikage?"

"Yes," he replied softly. Her eyes were still closed yet her hand easily found his. Instead of her usual position of curling up around him, she wrapped her fingers around his arm and rested her head by his shoulder, snuggling against him. Still unused to these strange displays of affection, Gaara tensed for a bit before he relaxed into her touch.

"Gaara?" He waited. "Do you…? Am I…? Never mind."

"Hana, you can ask me anything you like. I will not be upset with you." The girl bit her lip. She wasn't afraid of him getting upset, she was afraid of his answer.

"It's nothing," she lied, thinking better of it. "Let's go to sleep." The young Kage wasn't so easily distracted.

"Hana, I want you to trust me. Please tell me what's on your mind." Her heart seized up a little bit. She had made a promise to herself but still…

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes." He answered without hesitation, turning his head so he could watch her reaction. Violet eyes opened wide before she quickly concealed her astonishment behind a serene mask. "Sing to me, Hana," he urged when he was sure she would speak no more. The girl smiled and began her lullaby, closing her eyes as they fell asleep.


	8. Starry Night

**7\. Starry Night**

Hana walked slowly through the building, fascinated by how silent it was. Normally, she was asleep at this hour of the night, but she had felt Gaara leave the bed and she felt compelled to follow him. She found him sitting in his office, a familiar figure in the palm of his hand. He wasn't working, just sitting in silence.

"You shouldn't be up so early." Ice blue eyes peered up at her. Then he continued to play with the sculpture. "Where'd you get that?" Hana demanded, noticing it for the first time.

"I found it on our windowsill." He held it up to the light. "It's a very beautiful piece. Do you have others?" The girl gulped, eyes cast down. He glanced at her, curious to why she had fallen silent. "Hana?"

"I…" She took a shaky breath. "I have others."

"I would like to see them some time. This one is so incredibly detailed. Are all of them like this?"

"Most. I usually paint them as well." The redhead nodded, placing the figurine on his desk. He was unusually fond of the beetle, despite the fact that it was incomplete.

"May I keep it?" A true smile lit up her face, one of pure joy. He was taken aback by this, perplexed by why his request pleased her.

"Of course. You don't want me to finish it?"

"No. I like it the way it is." She glanced down before smiling at him again, violet eyes warming for the first time. She came forward, pulling a chair by his desk and sitting beside him. "Why didn't you tell us about your gift when we asked about your hobbies?"

"When my father found out about it, he destroyed half of my collection. I was afraid that would happen again." Gaara glanced at her.

"You're being very open this morning."

"Your sister gave me a talk." The Kazekage's lips twitched up. He knew she would do it eventually. Temari was determined to see him happy. Looking at Hana, he felt content that they were making progress. If he could just get her to let her guard down around others as well, she might actually become popular in Suna. She was rather charming when not on the defensive.

"So, why _are_ you up so early? You didn't even come to bed until late." He shrugged, not having a real reason. Then, out of habit, he began to work on some of the paperwork on his desk. Due to his late hours, he rarely fell behind but his absence had allowed for the piles to stack up. "Can I help?" she asked, taking a stack of papers. Gaara showed her how to organize them, grateful for her kindness. Hana thanked him and they worked together until the building sang with activity.

"Gaara, have you seen…?" Temari stopped and then beamed as she noticed the civilian working beside her husband. "How long have you two been at it?"

"I have no idea, but we started before day break," Hana piped up.

"But I thought you and Kankuro got back late," Temari stated, redirecting the conversation to Gaara. He nodded.

"He didn't sleep much. He was restless again."

"It was a full moon last night," the redhead said simply.

"But you don't have Shukaku inside of you anymore," the girl protested. He shrugged.

"Once the inner clock has been set, it's hard to turn it off again." Hana rolled her eyes and handed him the last stack of papers. With her by his side, it had only taken a few hours to catch back up.

"I'm surprised. You two make quite a team. Paperwork trembles in your presence." The girl giggled at Temari's teasing. "You must have gotten a good night's sleep." As the kunoichi approached the couple, her eyes glimpsed the strange figurine and held it up to the light. "Where'd you get this, Gaara?" He ignored her, already walking out of his office to deliver the papers to the archives. The blonde glared at his back then gestured to Hana with it. She shrugged, not wanting to bring up her gifts. She was still wary of the others.

"Anyway, did you think about what I said yesterday?"

"Yes!" the civilian exclaimed. "I can do it. I'm sure of it." Temari nodded.

"Yeah, I can see it… Hana, do you love my brother?"

"Um…," the girl hesitated.

"It just seems as though you're happier with him than anyone else."

"Well, I suppose _that's_ true." Green eyes searched the pale face for answers. She wound up with nothing, Mayonaka no Hana successfully hiding her emotions behind a mask. Though she had never succeeded in becoming a ninja, her training was evident.

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that Kankuro and I decided that you would be going to the summit instead of us, this time."

"What?" Hana cocked her head to the side, utterly lost.

"Gaara didn't tell you? The reason why he got back so soon is because the other Kage have agreed to meet here in a few days. Everyone's allowed two guards but since we're in Suna, Gaara only gets one. That being said, we figured if we sent you, it would be seen as an act of trust towards the other villages. No offense."

"None taken."

"I was just wondering if you'd be able to do me a favor while you're there," Temari requested.

"What kind of a favor?"

"She wants you to try and remember the conversation so her and Kankuro can dissect it later," Gaara answered for his sibling. He turned towards the kunoichi. "I was going to tell her myself." The blonde shrugged.

"So…?"

"I guess," Hana supposed, putting the extra chair back where she found it. "I do have a pretty good memory when I try." Temari nodded gratefully.

►§◄

Hana stretched slowly, rolling over to find Gaara still fast asleep. She went to shake him awake but she noticed that his arm was abnormally warm. Concerned, she moved her hand to his forehead. It was feverish. Without a moment of hesitation, she hopped over him and onto the ground, padding her way to the bathroom to fetch a cold washcloth. She wringed it out before taking it back and laying it on Gaara's head. The redhead stirred a little, but didn't wake.

The girl tended over her husband for nearly an hour before the first person came in. "Lady Hana," the ninja gasped, noticing the way she sat on the edge of Gaara's bed. "Is Lord Kazekage alright?" The man peered at the teen and the cloth on his forehead.

"He's sick. Could you fetch Lady Temari for me?" Her voice was low so she wouldn't disturb him.

"What should I tell the other Kage? There was supposed to be a summit today."

"Let me speak with Lady Temari first." The ninja nodded and scuttled away. Just moments later, the blonde kunoichi stuck her head through the door.

"Manji said Gaara was sick. Is it true?" Temari whispered, slipping in silently. Hana nodded, touching his forehead to see if he had gotten any better. "Have you woken him?"

"No. I didn't feel him come in last night, which is strange. I think we should leave him be and postpone the summit."

"The other Kage won't be happy about that and they're not going to accept it from anyone else's mouth but his."

"I'll tell them."

"Hana," the Sand Sibling protested. "They're not going to listen to you. You're just…"

" _I'm_ the Kazekage's _wife_. This is _my_ decision and I've made it. I dare them to challenge that." Gaara's sister smiled, pleased with the woman her brother was tied to. "Will you watch over him for me as I inform them of the delay?"

"Of course." Hana nodded and stood, touching his cheek one last time before exiting the room. She had gotten dressed earlier when she and Gaara had been left alone. The summit was supposed to occur in the council chamber, so that was the first place she checked. When she strolled in, all eyes focused on her.

"What are you doing here?" the Tsuchikage demanded instantaneously.

"I've come to inform you that the meeting has been postponed until tomorrow as the Kazekage isn't feeling well." Her voice was smooth and emotionless, spoken in such a way that they hesitated to question her. However, the Raikage wasn't content with her explanation.

"He said that himself?" Lord Ay demanded.

"No. Gaara is asleep."

"Then who made the decision to postpone the meeting?"

"I did." Hana held herself with an air of confidence, so sure of her choice that she wasn't intimidated by the man twice her size, if not more.

"And who are you to make that decision?"

"I'm his wife."

"Oh you," he disregarded her with a laugh. "This is ninja business. Wake the Kazekage and send him here."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no. For one, this isn't ninja business; it's a political matter so your statement is invalid. Secondly, even if it were ninja business, I'm the Kazekage's chosen guard so I _still_ get the final say. Therefore, I say no." The Raikage stood, glaring down at the civilian. She stared back, unwavering. Then she sighed, shaking her head. "That boy doesn't know what's good for him," she muttered under her breath. She turned around, hands on her hips. "Go back to bed," she ordered just as soon as the Kazekage rounded the corner.

"Hana," he argued softly. Dressed and standing, it was obvious that he was ill.

"You have a fever. Go lay down."

"Hana, I'm fine."

"Gaara," the girl's tone was stern, irritation slipping into it. "I'm not going to argue with you on this."

"You…"

"I will drag you back to bed by your ears if I have to. I may not be a ninja but my stubbornness overpowers yours. Trust me." Pale blue eyes flashed wide and then a soft smile touched his lips.

"Fine," he relented. "I apologize for the inconvenience," he said, redirecting his attention to the other Kage. Half of them, including their guards, had to cover their mouths to keep from laughing. Mayonaka no Hana didn't glance back as she took her husband back to bed.

"You can find me a wife any day, Ohnoki," the Raikage said, sitting down with a smirk on his lips. "Just make sure I get one like her."

"I wish I could take the credit, but I voted for her sister to be sent. The Council voted against me," the Tsuchikage admitted, laughing.

►§◄

Hana sat down by Gaara's side as he lay in bed, spreading another damp cloth against his head. He grabbed her hand and held it over his chest, closing his eyes. "Thank you, Hana. I think I do need a rest."

"Yes, well don't tell me who woke you. They'll lose a finger if I find out." He grinned, glad for this strange woman.

"I'll make sure they sleep with one eye open."

"Just make sure both of yours stay closed."

"Sing to me, Hana?"

"Of course," she whispered affectionately, smoothing back his hair with her free hand and beginning to sing.

►§◄

Hana woke later that night, feeling the spot beside her empty. Her eyes flashed open, momentarily alarmed until she saw her husband sitting in the window. One leg hung loosely outside the window while the other was bent, one arm resting on the knee. Without a word, she slipped out of bed, crawling to his side and sitting beneath him, back to the wall and knees hugged to her chest. Gaara glanced down.

"You should go back to bed," he muttered calmly.

"Come with me?" He shook his head. "I've been sleeping all day. I'm not tired."

"Then I'll sit here with you." She peered up at him, admiring the way the moonlight cast interesting shadows across his face, turning one half milky white, while the other was shrouded in black. His eyes, however, looked like little stars peeking out from their lonely spots in the universe. Her hand reached up, beckoning him to lower his head. She touched first his forehead, then both cheeks with the back of her hand.

"Do I pass your test?" he asked in his most gentle voice, not wanting to upset her, though he doubt he could at this point. She still looked half asleep. The girl's head bobbed up and down before she dropped her hand and rested her head on her knees. Then, she stole Gaara's free hand that was hanging limp by his side.

He stared back down at Hana, confused by this gesture. This was someone accustomed to sleeping on her own, without nightmares or torment. In fact, he knew that she had hoped for her own room when she first arrived. So, why was she choosing to sleep in a less comfortable position just so she could be with him? Was she just trying to comfort _him_ or had she grown dependent on his presence just as he had become dependent on hers? Not wanting to overthink the issue, Gaara turned away and stared across the village he swore to protect.

* * *

 **So, I realize Hana is kind of taking a shift in character. If you feel that this is too sudden, please tell me, because I've been thinking about rewriting this a bit. Thanks for reading. Please review.**


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